God continues asking questions which display a small portion of His infinite wisdom and power.
“Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the does? Who has let the wild donkey go free? Who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey, to whom I have given the arid plain for his home and the salt land for his dwelling place? Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane? Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrifying. Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars and spreads his wings toward the south? Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high?” (v1,5-6,19-20,26-27)
I’ve never seen the magnitude of this until now – God observes everything. Now, I realize that we often use terms like omnipresent (everywhere are once) and omniscient (all knowing) to describe Him, yet I don’t think I’ve ever pondered the full extent of what that implies. In this chapter, God says the He observes all of the creatures of this earth – their life-cycles, their daily routines, their meals, everything. Can you imagine how much is going on in this world? I can’t.
Most days I struggle to keep tabs on my family – there are four of us, often with four unique schedules and sets of plans. I can barely keep track of my own personal schedule, let alone keep track of theirs as well. Yet, despite my extreme limitations, God can not only track the movements and thoughts of 7.8 billion people, He also tracks billions of creatures. Truly, God has no limits.
Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the newly constructed temple takes on a whole new meaning for me: ” ‘But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, and listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.’ ” (1 Kg 8:27-28,30) Solomon, understanding that God is far bigger than any physical or spiritual realm, pleads with God to hear the prayers he and the people pray, and forgive them.
Of course we all know that God loves each of us so much that He gave His one and only son, so that anyone who believes in His loving sacrifice, may have an eternity in heaven with God, being rescued from the spiritual death that would have resulted from our sin.
A limitless, unrestrainable God who observes more creatures, stars, weather patterns, plants, and people than we can possibly imagine, still loves each of us personally, and powerfully enough that He died to restore our relationship with Him. Wow. I encourage us to simply revel in this truth, and praise God for his magnificence and love for us.
Father God, You are truly magnificent, awesome, and limitless, and You are far beyond the description of my limited vocabulary. Heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, yet You sent Your Son Jesus to this earth, and Your Holy Spirit into our hearts, so we may have personal relationships with You. Father please forgive us our sin, and please create clean hearts within us so Your Spirit has worthy vessels in which He can dwell, and through which You can work. May we never fully comprehend the extent of Your majesty, so You would remain sovereign over our humbled hearts. Lord, have mercy on us, sinners, for we are only worthy of Your presence through Your forgiveness. All honor, praise, glory, and obedience be to You, O Lord God Almighty, King of Heaven and Earth, forever and ever, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training